NATIONAL MIGRATION WEEK - January 8-14

NATIONAL MIGRATION WEEK January 7 – 14, 2018

For nearly a half century, the Catholic Church in the United States has celebrated National Migration Week, which is an opportunity for the Church to reflect on the circumstances confronting migrants, including immigrants, refugees, children, and victims and survivors of human trafficking. The theme for National Migration Week 2017 draws attention to the fact that each of our families have a migration story, some recent and others in the distant past. Regardless of where we are and where we came from, we remain part of the human family and are called to live in solidarity with one another. Unfortunately, in our contemporary culture we often fail to encounter migrants as persons, and instead look at them as unknown others, if we even notice them at all. We do not take the time to engage migrants in a meaningful way, as fellow children of God, but remain aloof to their presence and suspicious or fearful of them. During this National Migration Week, let us all take the opportunity to engage migrants as community members, neighbors, and friends.

THIS SECTION IS THE LATEST from JUSTICE FOR IMMIGRANTS (an office of the US Catholic Bishops)

Supporting Dreamers

On Wednesday,Jan. 10 in response to the January 9th bipartisan Congressional meeting at the White House, Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of Austin, Texas, Chairman of the Committee on Migration (USCCB/COM), issued a statement of support for immediate Congressional action on Dreamers. Read Bishop Vásquez's statement here. Please show your support for Dreamers by signing our 2018 National Migration Week action alert.

Temporary Protected Status

On January 8th, DHS announced that it is terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador. The vast majority (approximately 200,000) of TPS recipients in the U.S. are Salvadoran. Bishop Vásquez issued a statement expressing disappointment in the DHS decision and calling on Congress to find a legislative solution for TPS recipients and their families. Read the statement here. Please also see the USCCB/COM letter of support for House TPS legislation and the TPS bill comparison chart.

Litigation Against Latest Refugee Executive Order and Immigrant/Non-immigrant Travel Ban

On December 23, 2017, the U.S. District Court of Western Washington (Seattle) issued a preliminary injunction partially halting the latest refugee executive order, Executive Order 13815, and on January 5, 2018, the Administration appealed that decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals of the Ninth Circuit.

On December 22, 2017, the Ninth Circuit partially affirmed the U.S. District Court of Hawaii's recent preliminary injunction halting the Administration immigrant/nonimmigrant travel ban, Presidential Proclamation 9645 (PP 9645), but they stayed the preliminary injunction, pending possible U.S. Supreme Court action on the case. On January 5, 2018, the Administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review this PP 9645 case.

Court Ruling on DACA

On January 9th the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued a preliminary injunction, temporarily and partially halting the termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The order requires the Administration to keep the DACA program in place on a nation-wide basis and continue to accept DACA renewal applications. However, it does not require the Administration to accept new applications for DACA or advanced parole based on DACA, and it does not prevent the Administration from deporting DACA recipients who pose a security or safety risk. Read the full order here.

To read more on facts aboutthe Catholic Church’s position on immigration reform, refugee protection, immigrant detention, and human trafficking click on the URL below. To find more on talking points and tips on writing letters go to the following web site of our US bishops.